TSGT James Bloom
TSGT James Kenneth Bloom
377th Security Police Squadron
Central Security Control

Wilsonville, Alabama

  SMSGT US AIR FORCE

  James K. Bloom … was born Oct. 10, 1939, in Three Rivers, Miss... He was the son of Kenneth and Eunice (DeWeerd) Bloom. [In addition to his parents...] he was preceded in death by his sister, Marilyn, and his brother, Fred Bloom.

  Jim joined the Air Force after graduating from high school in 1957, and retired in 1978. He was hand-selected to become an aircrew member serving as a presidential security guard aboard Air Force One from 1963 until his deployment to South Vietnam in 1967. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation for his actions and participation in repelling a North Vietnamese attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base, SVN, during the Tet Offensive of 1968.

  Following his tour of duty in Vietnam, he returned to Andrews AFB where he resumed his duties as a presidential security guard aboard Air Force One. He traveled extensively with presidents, congressmen, and federal department secretaries including historic trips to China and the former Soviet Union with President Nixon.

  Following his Air Force career, he went on to work with the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 2001.